THE BHONGOLETHU FOUNDATION

Primary School

In January 2017, Bhongolethu Foundation (then known as Work For Love) opened a primary school starting with a Grade 1 class. Each year we will add another class until we have a full primary school. The classes will stay relatively small so that the children get the individual attention they need while at the same time enjoying the opportunity of being part of a class of friends that they will come to know very well.

This school is situated on a lovely property that borders Masiphumelele. There is a big lawn on which to play and do classroom-related activities, as well as a spectacular view of the mountains just beyond the wetlands. It is a children’s paradise.

One of the primary goals of Bhongolethu is to give children from neighbouring disadvantaged communities the opportunity to learn through the medium of the English language (and thereby learn a lot about first world culture) while at the same time exploring and celebrating their own African heritage through stories, songs and dances that can be incorporated into the curriculum. One of the subjects they will study is isiXhosa. In this way we can build a gentle bridge that will lead them across the educational divide that so many of the people in our country are struggling to cross.

At Bhongolethu we believe in teaching the whole child. What this means is that we do not treat the child as a head that needs to be filled with information. The child is a full human being and therefore we teach the whole child through methods that appeal to their minds, their hearts and their wills.

A teacher’s job is to help the child to understand the world around them and how to navigate it. The curriculum is designed to help the child through each phase of development so that they are prepared for the world and are empowered to lead fulfilling lives.